


The Man Who Would Be King

by Moose_Sass (orphan_account)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, Selection!au basically, The idea came from the Selection series, The whole Winchester family is royal, and alive, prince!Dean, there will be both female and male OC's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-04
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:19:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2076492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Moose_Sass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Selection is an event that happens every time the prince comes of age. 24 contestants are sent to the Castle to be his potential partner and its the opportunity of a lifetime that anyone would jump on right away, eager to win. Everyone except Castiel that is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Man Who Would Be King

**Author's Note:**

> (This fic did have a prologue, but I felt it wasn't needed and was removed.)
> 
> All around him girls were fixing their make up and hair all trying to look their best for the picture that would be taken to be sent along side their form. A lot of girls had gone over board with it all Castiel decided, but who knew maybe that's what Prince Dean liked. All the boys, including Castiel, had fixed up their hair and if needed had shaved. Castiel also chose to wear his best shirt he could find for the picture. If he was going to enter he was going to a least try to seem interested.

The rebel attacks were getting worse.

That's what Mr. Smith announced during the weekly Review on TV. Of course that fact didn't bother Castiel much. The rebels only attacked the Castle and he was a Five nowhere near a One, whom lived at the Castle. He and his family were Fives, closer to the bottom of the Levels than anything, but they were still happy enough. They had food on the table every night, even if it was just a slice of bread each. Ever since Castiel's two older siblings Lucifer and Anna moved out there was slightly more to go around for him and his two younger brothers.

Day by day, they got by just fine. His mother and father both being artists, Castiel himself being a singer with some wicked gardening skills on the side. His younger brother Gabriel had just recently picked up playing piano and had the town captivated with his merry tunes. Balthazar was young, still trying to figure out what his talent was to be. He wanted to be a doctor as was hinted at several times, but that was not a career open to them. You had to be at least a Three if you wanted to even have the bare minimum of education to become a doctor.

So really being content as a Five, the rebel attacks worsening didn't faze Castiel. Of course his mother had let out a gasp as she was always dreaming of what it would be like to be a One and she often fretted about their safety after each growing attack. Castiel was perfectly fine being a Five, he had all he wanted: a family, shelter, food and someone to love. So when Mr. Smith along with his cheeky grin told everyone watching the Review that a Selection was in place for Prince Dean, Castiel's world shattered around him.

Castiel knew his mother would just jump on the idea that her son could win the heart of the prince and become a One and he wasn't wrong.

"Oh Castiel honey, you just have to sign up! It's the opportunity of a lifetime and there's no way Prince Dean could turn down someone as handsome as you," she clung to his arm, shaking it. Beside her Gabriel jumped up at the idea seeming to agree with his mother and Balthazar sat forward watching the remaining part of the Review play out apparently uninterested in the opportunity placed before his brother.

"You have to Castiel. Just think of how happy you could be with the prince! You two could live happily ever after and I mean why wouldn't you want to? Prince Dean has such pretty eyes, don't you think so?" the words practically tumbled out of Gabriel's mouth.

"Yes I guess they are pretty aren't they, Gabe?" Castiel smiled at his little brothers excitement, but he knew deep down that there was no way he was going to enter the Selection. Gabriel nodded his head viciously regarding Castiel. Castiel had brought him home a piece of cake from the market to celebrate his success with the piano and he was still hyped up on the sugar from it.

"Are you thinking about signing up for it sweetie? I really think you should. Even just the money we would get from it would help us out tons. Your father has been working very hard to make sure we have food on that table every night." Castiel knew what his mother was trying to do, she was trying to guilt trip him. Usually it worked too, but Castiel had absolutely no interest in entering the Selection, he wasn't that desperate. Not yet.

Castiel sighed. He _really_ didn't want to enter the Selection. He knew just how much all the money would benefit his family and he knew that if, and that was a giant _if_ , he won the jump his whole family would make to Three would help even more. Balthazar might even be able to become a doctor if that was the case, but Castiel knew he wouldn't win either. In fact he knew for certain there was no way he was going to be picked.

His mother stepped in to fill the silence, "I mean really Castiel, he would just fall right in love with a charming young man like you."

"Oh yes! He would!" Gabriel jumped in to aid his mother.

Meanwhile Castiel had turned bight red. He had never really thought much about what his sexuality was. The question had never really presented himself, but he had found himself interested in both girls and boys before, so if someone had asked his sexuality he would probably say he was bi. He had never considered marrying and spending the rest of his life with another guy though, his plan had always been to settle down with a nice girl and have a family.

"Mother, I highly doubt I would be picked and it's not like I want to be king. Even if I wanted to there are thousands of more contestants that he's more likely to pick! I mean he's straight for all we know and wants to choose a beautiful girl so they can have an heir at least. That wouldn't happen with me, or any other guy for that matter. So no, I'm not entering the stupid Selection!" Castiel ran down the hall, heart racing, to his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Their conversation has started and ended quite quickly. He hadn't meant to raise his voice at his mother or in front of his little brothers, it had just happened. He just didn't see their point in him entering the Selection other than the money it would grant them and if he was going to enter at all it wasn't going to be for the money. It was going to be because he _wanted_ to.

After he had calmed down and thought things through a bit more Castiel dared to step outside his room. His thoughts were as clear as before, nothing his mother could stay would make him enter the Selection. As true as Gabriel's comment about Prince Dean's eyes was true, Castiel knew that he would never had a chance anyways. So why bother?

He stepped tentatively down the hallway, placing his heel down before the side of his foot and then fully shifting his weight to the ball of his foot. That way he was sure he wouldn't wake any of his now sleeping family up. He made his way silently from his room to the kitchen without as much as a creak. Shuffling he made his way to the fridge and grabbed his plate of dinner that he had put aside earlier. His parents thought nothing of it and had just assumed that he wasn't hungry at the moment, like all the other times he had done this, but he had other plans for the plate half full of food.

Stepping into his shoes Castiel slipped out of the house, pulling his jacket up awkwardly with one hand as he went. The air was cool at this time of year, but it was really as cold as it got at any given time of the year; just cold enough for a thin jacket to be necessary. Castiel made his way expertly to the shed in his backyard treading silently under his parents window. The shed was a small square and looked like it had seen better days. The brown paint was chipping off left, right and center, but it served it purpose. He looked over his shoulders just before he turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

Inside he flipped on the light-switch and they flickered a couple of times before finally deciding to stay on. He turned his back to the door to place the plate of food down and heard the door open and then close again with a soft click. He felt arms wrap around his torso before he saw whom it was. There was only one person that he was meeting up with. Castiel turned around and planted a kiss on top of the head and heard a quiet laugh.

"Well hello to you too, Clarence," Meg said as she stepped away to look up at him with a smile on her face. Castiel scoffed at what he thought was a stupid nickname, but for as long as he had known her Clarence had been his nickname and he just let it slide. Especially now that they were together. _Together and in love,_ he reminded himself. They were planning to get married as soon as Castiel saved up enough money. It was just a matter of time.

"Hello. I brought some food for you," Castiel motioned to the plate he had just set down and passed it over to Meg.

"You didn't have to, but thanks." Meg grabbed the slice of bread and started eating it. Castiel picked away slowly at the remaining piece of bread on the plate because he knew Meg got mad if she thought he brought the food just for her, because he constantly had to supply her with these things. Meg was a Six and Castiel knew she rarely had food on her table, so every night they met up he would bring her some and the first time he had ever done so she snapped at him saying he didn't have to support her like this and he shouldn't have to. Deep down Castiel knew that she knew without him bringing her this food, as little as there was, she would have starved a lot time ago.

"So, Clarence," Meg had finished her slice of bread and picked up one of the carrots. She broke off a piece and chewed before continuing, "You gonna enter the Selection?" Castiel turned to face her. He knew Meg being 15 was too young to enter, so he was the only one able to out of the pair.

"I don't think so," he replied. Then rethinking it, he changed his answer, "No."

Meg turned her head to the side questioning his reasoning. "I didn't think you would want to, but at the same time I thought you might because of all the help it could bring your family and us too." _And us._ "With all the money you receive we'd be able to get married anytime we want!" Meg's face looked like a bright light bulb had just flickered on above her head.

"Hmm. I suppose so, but I probably wouldn't last long at the Castle either or even get picked for all that matters," Castiel countered. He had since placed the plate back up on the shelf and they were sitting side by side on the ground.

Meg leaned her head on his shoulder. "Cas, baby, have a little faith in yourself. You're the most handsome person I've ever laid eyes on; of course you'd get picked. You don't need to stay long at the Castle either. Just enough so we have enough money. It would only take a couple of weeks at most I'm guessing. I've heard the money they send back to your family at home is pretty generous. I think you should at least try. For me?" Meg clearly wasn't just going to let this pass over.

Castiel was silent for a moment, pondering, before he spoke again, "I guess I could at least enter. Then if I don't get picked it's no big deal."

"Exactly! That's the spirit Clarence," Meg's voice had a certain amount of happiness coming from it. She seemed happy with Castiel agreeing even though she was basically giving him permission to date and even marry someone else if it came to that, but it never would and whatever made Meg happy made Castiel happy too. A comfortable silence settled, filling the air between the two.

It was then Meg held up a peony from where she had stored it, tucked away in her jacket. "Payment, my good sir," Meg said gently. Castiel took the flower. He knew exactly what Meg wanted and so he gave it to her. He began to sing, softly so as to not wake the neighbors. For as long as he had known Meg he would sing for her is she asked, as that was his job, but he didn't mind singing for her anyways. In return Meg would pay him with peonies that she found from wherever she dared to get them from. Castiel never knew or asked, but he still loved them nonetheless.

It was like their secret payment system, a flower for a song. Castiel continued to sing, his arm wrapped around Meg's arm and her head still on his shoulder. His voice cut through the silence of the night and drifted it way up to the clouds covering the night sky.

* * *

The next day Castiel was found walking up the busy streets with his mother. They were headed to the town office to pick up the entry form, fill it out, get his picture and hand it in. Castiel's mother jumped up right away and told him to get ready to head into town when he had told her that he wanted to enter the Selection. Of course he didn't tell her why his mind had changed over night, but she seemed just as happy to not know. Her son had a chance with the prince and she had a change of moving up several Levels, no questions needed.

"Oh Castiel I'm so happy to decided to do this. I mean as soon as Prince Dean sees your face he'll just have to pick you! I'm so happy for you!" her voice was raising higher with every sentence.

"Mother stop, please. People are starting to stare," Castiel pleaded. The streets were jam-packed with teens just waiting to sign up and win a chance with the prince. Castiel was never one for crowds and was feeling quite out of his element around so many bustling people. With some decency his mother listened and grew silent as they stepped into the ever-growing line.

All around him girls were fixing their make up and hair all trying to look their best for the picture that would be taken to be sent along side their form. A lot of girls had gone over board with it all Castiel decided, but who knew maybe that's what Prince Dean liked. All the boys, including Castiel, had fixed up their hair and if needed, had shaved. Castiel also chose to wear his best shirt he could for the picture. If he was going to enter he was going to a least try to seem interested.

"Almost your turn honey," his mother giggled. _Giggled_ for crying out loud. Castiel couldn't believe it. His mother was defiantly more excited about this than he was. Yet he let her fix his hair right before he went to sit on the chair for his picture.

"Alrighty smile big for Prince Dean," the photographer chimed, but Castiel didn't smile big for Prince Dean. He did it for Meg and how if he got in they were one step closer to being together forever. He did it for him family and all this meant to his mother. It was the truest smile he could conjure. Hopefully that would be enough.

 _Click._ The camera snapped and the photographer gave him a slip of paper with a number on it. 131. That was the number of his picture and he was supposed to hand it in with his form so they knew which picture to send in with it. Castiel got up from where he was sitting and made his way to his mother on the other side. She was busy filling out the entry form on the table as she approached. She seemed to have everything taken care of so he left her to it and let his mind wonder. It didn't get far off the topic of the Selection. For not wanting to enter in the first place Castiel found he was eagerly waiting for the results already. He thought once he knew he didn't make it he would be able to move on and at least say he tried.

After his mother handed in the form they made their way back towards the house. About half way back Castiel had to branch off because he was supposed to be working today. He figured that if he told his boss he had been entering in the Selection his lateness would be excused. That was supposed to be the case anyways. Once Castiel got there he tried that with his boss, but got yelled at instead. As punishment he had to sing at the bar today.

He hated working at the bar. Being as young as he was and having the best voice in the whole joint according to his boss customers often enough got a little grabby. Usually Castiel only worked at the stage in the front of the restaurant as per the boss's orders, but usually once a month he had to work the bar because someone didn't come into work. The stage in the bar was tightly surrounded by tables and chairs which usually harbored more than one town drunk with Castiel in arms reach of everyone; where the one in the front was put off to the corner to keep the singing more in the background. It wasn't the main focus like it was on the bar side.

He always had a bad mood afterwards and felt dirty. The first night he ran home and took a long shower trying to wash the feeling of the hands off of him and proceeded to lock himself in his room for the rest of the night. He didn't eat either. Meg had told him the day after that he could always quit his job. Castiel and Meg both knew that wasn't a luxury he had though. The job was one of the highest paying for singing and if they ever wanted to be married they needed all the money they would earn.

Today wasn't any different after he finished his shift at the job. If anything tonight had been worse than usual. The hands seemed doubled in number and not wanting to make any of the drunk customers angry and have something to clean up Castiel's boss did nothing to stop them. He came home and showered for as long as he had hot water scrubbing away at his skin. He joined his family for dinner but was silent and truly only eating a tiny bit of his food. He wasn't rationing it for Meg, as he usually would be. Castiel excused himself and wrapped up his food placing it in their constantly near empty fridge.

He had agreed earlier to meet up with Meg again tonight and he wasn't going to not go just because he had a terrible day at work. Castiel hoped that Meg would be able to make him feel better; she seemed to have that effect on him. He would come back to get the food before he left, but for now he needed to be alone in his room.

Silently Castiel treaded across the floor towards the door, plate of food for Meg in hand. He hadn't calmed down much, but he hoped Meg would help with that. Quick as a mouse he crossed the lawn and entered the shed. Inside Meg was already there waiting for him. She turned and smiled as he walked in and Castiel set the plate of food down on the usual shelf.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Meg stepped closer to wrap her arms around his waist and looked up to meet his blue eyes.

"Nothing. Just a rough day at work," Castiel explained. He sighed before offering more to his explanation, "I was late because of signing up for the Selection so I had to sing at the bar for it. And the hands they just wouldn't stop and it's not like he was going to step in to stop it either. As long as his customers where happy and buying more alcohol he was okay with it. I just- it makes me feel so dirty after, you know?" Castiel shook his head. "No, of course you wouldn't silly me. You get to spend your days cooking and cleaning and don't work for a boss who doesn't give a shit about what happens to you as long as you are at work!"

"Hey. Hey, shh." Meg hugged Castiel tight to her body, not seeming to care of his bad mood. "It's alright, but you know you have to keep working if we ever want to get married."

Castiel stood there for a moment not moving until he murmured, "Yeah, I know." In that moment his anger had dissipated only to rear it's head up a second later, springing a cruel thought into his head.

"Do you love me, Meg?" The question leapt from his mouth as Castiel suddenly pushed back against Meg and looked at her face to face.

The look on her face was one of utter astonishment, "Of course I do! Why would you ever have to ask that?"

"Maybe because you've never actually said it out loud before. You've spoken non stop about how one day we will be married, yet you have yet to say those three words," he countered. His face was ablaze with ever-changing emotions; of anger; of realization of what he was saying; or everything he didn't want to hear.

"Well I do. I love you, Castiel," Meg pleaded, but in his sudden rage it didn't reach Castiel.

He carried on as if he never heard her, "Is it money you want? You seemed awfully eager to send me off to marry someone else if you got some money out of it and you seem to not mind me working that god-awful job. As long at it's earning me money to support our marriage right?" Meg was speechless. "Or is it the Level you would gain when we get married? That's just selfish, using me like that. Is that what you're in this for? Becoming a Five? Because I'm telling you now, it's not much better than a Six."

"I don't want any of that! Why would you say that! I love you and truly do want to get married," Meg's voice had all lowered towards the end as if she were done with this whole thing.

"I don't know if I can believe that, Meg," Castiel practically spat out her name. "This whole time we've been together, all the times I've said it, I've held nothing back for you and until now when I practically forced it out of you you've never even said 'I love you' in return," the anger in his voice had now since died out and he just sounded tired.

"Cas-"

"I just can't do this right now Meg. It will be easier anyways this way if I'm sent off to the Castle as part of the Selection." If Meg hadn't known any better she would have said that a soft sob escaped right after those words were said. Deep down she knew exactly where Castiel was going with this.

The next words the left Castiel's lips where nothing he ever thought he would say. In fact he always thought they would be a "Will you marry me" instead of an "It's over". He thought Meg looked well for taking the news, she didn't say anything in response though. Just nodded and let herself out of the shed; first making sure that the coast was clear.

Castiel left a moment after her heading straight back to his room, a couple of tears running down his face. When he had first spoken up that was not where he was aiming to go at all with the conversation that had quickly turned into a one-sided argument. He had never wanted this, but once he said what was really on his mind it's not like he could just turn it all around and save the day. He blamed it on the bitter mood he was in after his shift at the bar was done. All Meg had been trying to do was help him feel better and he had just gone and messed that up. Now they weren't even a couple anymore.

 _I should go apologize,_ he thought, but he knew it wasn't going to be tonight or probably anytime soon because, in a way, ending it with Meg made his feel better. There was less stress of constantly thinking of ways to earn money to support the two. Castiel decided that after the Selection was chosen if he was still home and not shipped off to the Castle to compete for some prince that he would make it up with Meg.

 _That way it will be easier for her if I am chosen,_ he tried to convince himself. Yes, this was the right thing to do, he was sure of it and now he couldn't wait to hear the results for the Selection. In fact they couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

It was Saturday night again. A week had passed since Mr. Smith announced the Selection. Six days had passed since Castiel's break up with Meg and he hadn't heard anything from her since. Nor did he go out of his way to see her. He was still getting over exactly what he had said and done and honestly he was really regretting it. He hadn't been kidding when he told her he gave everything for her and that he loved her. He really believed he did, but he couldn't just go back to her.

Castiel busied himself with singing and helping Gabriel with the piano, but even that wasn't keeping him very busy as Gabriel had surpassed Castiel's level of skill in the piano already. He found himself in the small patch of garden they had more often too. Castiel was already there at least once a day, but it had almost become obsessive for him to check up on it several times a day. Because of that the crops were doing better than ever and would be worth a lot to sell in the market. He was very proud of his little garden and the success it reached.

Anna, Castiel's older and only sister, had showed up earlier that day saying she heard word that tonight on the Review the contestants of the Selection would be revealed and she said she wanted to be with her family just in case her little brother was one of the lucky ones. Of course she was the only one to come back for such an event. The only other sibling that had left the house, Lucifer, was of course nowhere to be seen. As soon as he had gotten even slightly successful with his business he took off leaving his family in the dust. He was saving up to buy his way to a Two.

They hadn't heard from him in years.

The Review was about to start and the family of six was squished on the small couch in front of the TV. Castiel was in the middle with an antsy Gabriel sitting on his lap. "Gabe, you're almost too tall for this," he shifted his brother so he could have a clear view of the screen. "And sit still would you." Gabriel froze up like a statue exactly how he had been positioned in the moment Castiel told him to stop. He had a mischievous grin on his face.

Castiel heard his father laugh, a sound that was a rare occurrence as of lately. His mother was seated next to his father on the end and Balthazar sitting right next to Castiel. Anna filled up the space on the other side of Castiel. The mood was light and filled with anticipation. Castiel felt a slight tad anxious and was ready for Mr. Smith to step on stage anytime now.

Just when he thought the Review had been cancelled, the host Mr. Smith, entered and the live crowd cheered. The broadcast started with the weather forecast as always for the rest of the week that was followed by any important announcements of happenings in the upcoming week. Then King John would stand up and give a word or two about whatever was on his mind, but where a normal Review would have ended by now the camera flipped back to Mr. Smith who had an excited twinkle in his eye.

"Now as you all know, a week ago today I announced the Selection that would be taking place for Prince Dean and now the time to know the lucky guys and gals that will get a shot at this? Are you ready?" The crowd cheered and Castiel shifted in his place tossing Gabriel from his lap in the process. Gabriel was just as happy to take a seat on the floor in front of the cramped couch. Mr. Smith made his way to center stage and the camera's followed to show that Prince Dean had appeared on stage.

"I think we should have our special prince out for this don't you?" More cheering. Castiel just wanted this to be over. "You see he hasn't seen whose been chosen either so I bet he's every bit as excited as you are!" Castiel wasn't excited. He was nervous. "Well why don't we get started than?" The crowd went wild.

"Ladies first, I'd say Mr. Smith," Prince Dean spoke up. He looked important next to Mr. Smith, being a few inches taller than the short man. Gabriel was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. Castiel felt the same way, but inside and with nerves.

"Always the gentlemen," Mr. Smith acknowledged Prince Dean's request. He opened an envelope and stepped closer to the microphone if that were even possible. Mr. Smith cleared his throat and the spoke, "Miss Jacelynn Siamon of Two, Miss Violet Abbot of Three, Miss Lea Brass of Three..." A photo of each girl showed up as Mr. smith read her name off the paper. Castiel wasn't paying attention though; he was waiting for the boys' names.

In fact he was listening so hard he nearly missed them. Mr. Smith was already several names in when Castiel realized what was happening. "...Sir Callum Sheppard of Two, Sir Theo Brass of Three, Sir Castiel Novak of Five..."

 _Sir Castiel Novak._ And that was when he stopped listening.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, so again this is based of of the Selection series, which I do not own (They belong to the wonderful Kiera Cass). I just thought about destiel the whole time I read it so this happened. 
> 
> This is my first fic that I've written and plan on finishing. I'm sorry, but the updates wont' be at any specific timing, just whenever I get around to it and all mistakes are my own as I don't have a beta.


End file.
